Steven Carrington
Encyclopedia
Steven Daniel Carrington is a fictional character
on the American
prime time
soap opera
Dynasty
. Steven is noteworthy as one of the earliest gay main characters on American television. Despite identifying as homosexual, Steven has relationships with both women and men throughout the series.
The role was originated by Al Corley
in the show's first episode in 1981; Corley left at the end of the second season in 1982 after complaining about Steven's "ever-shifting sexual preferences" and wanting "to do other things." The character was recast in 1983 with Jack Coleman, the change in appearance attributed to plastic surgery after an oil rig explosion. Coleman remained on the show until 1988, but Corley returned to the role of Steven for the 1991 miniseries
Dynasty: The Reunion
when Coleman was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts.
(John Forsythe
), "handsome, blond hunk" Steven was a regular character featured in front-burner storylines for his entire run on the series. In contrast to his ruthless, warring parents and promiscuous sister, the character was poised as "the moral conscience of the family." Still, he was defined primarily by his sexuality, his struggle against it and the conflict it created within his family.
's gay character Jodie Campbell on ABC's Soap
, which was a dark comedy
." Dynasty co-creator Esther Shapiro noted in a 1981 Esquire
magazine article that the character of Steven "was, is, and always will be gay," but explained that she initially intended for him to be confused about his sexuality for two seasons before ultimately becoming a "well-rounded gay character." With Dynasty becoming one of the 20 highest-rated American prime time series by the end of its second season and eventually rising to #1 in 1985, Steven "had great potential for breaking through the usual stereotypes" and his life "could have been explored in storylines in which [his] sexuality did not necessarily have to be problematized." However it has been noted that with "interference" from network Broadcast Standards and Practices
and "pressure from the religious right
", this potential was never fully realized. Walters writes that Steven—"stalwartly manly and deeply troubled by his homosexuality"—led viewers on a "Hollywood tour of homosexuality" over eight seasons, "from tortured closet case
, to 'cured' heterosexual husband, and finally to a vague approximation of gay and proud." She adds that the character's "persistent attempts to 'go straight' and the adamant avoidance of any gay milieu
or culture" paint Dynasty as "flawed and compromised," but acknowledges that the series remains a staple of gay iconography
despite its primary gay character being "hardly a role model of self-acceptance and pride."
In a 2006 interview with TV Guide
, Coleman reaffirmed that having a gay main character on a prime time drama in the early 1980s "was quite daring at that time. I think the only other gay character in a series was Billy Crystal on Soap, and that was a comedy
. But [Steven] was so timid by today's standards, especially looking at what's on cable, with The L Word
, Queer as Folk and shows like that. Dynasty now seems unbelievably quaint." Commenting on Steven's romantic relationship with Luke Fuller (played by Billy Campbell
), Coleman noted, "It was very much The Donna Reed Show
in terms of four feet on the floor, nobody actually ever touching."
) sparked a backlash from "fundamentalists who complained to advertisers," and by the spring of 1991 there were no gay characters in evidence at all. This ultimately paved the way for a reversal of the trend and Ellen DeGeneres
' watershed coming out
in 1997, the subsequent "steady stream of ... well-developed, three-dimensional gay and lesbian characters" on television, and the relative "open door" of the 2000s. David Bitler of MTV
's LGBT
-targeted channel Logo
said in 2005 that "today's youth generation is more accustomed to seeing gay characters on television, because gay visibility in pop culture has only increased exponentially during the last 10 to 15 years" with the depiction of gay and lesbian characters on shows such as Dawson's Creek
, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Real World
and Road Rules
becoming commonplace. Comparing Steven's 1981 confrontation with his father over his sexuality to the 2005 coming out
of Desperate Housewives
teen Andrew Van de Kamp
to his mother, Damon Romine of GLAAD noted in a 2005 PlanetOut.com article that though both Blake Carrington and Bree Van de Kamp
encourage their sons to "change"—which is not possible—in 1981 this was presented as a "serious suggestion," whereas in 2005 the idea is "ridiculous." Romine added, "That's progress, even though we still have a long way to go." In the same article Jenny Stewart of PlanetOut.com posed the question of whether Steven Carrington "was a groundbreaking first who blazed a trail for the must-see gay TV of the new millennium or a last gasp of the traditional 'gayness as tragedy' storyline."
heir Steven (Al Corley
) returns to Denver
from New York City
to attend the wedding of his father, powerful oil tycoon Blake Carrington
(John Forsythe
). Though the details are at first unclear, father and son are somewhat estranged, and their reunion is an awkward one. The Carrington family dynamic is soon established; thoughtful and sensitive Steven resists his father's pressure to step into his role as future leader of Blake's empire, while his spoiled sister Fallon
(Pamela Sue Martin
), better suited to follow in Blake's footsteps, is underestimated by—and considered little more than a trophy to—father Blake. Steven is devoted to and loved by Fallon, who sees the differences between her brother and Blake but does not understand why they cannot be reconciled. Steven, knowing Fallon's devotion to Blake, is hesitant to open up to her. Steven befriends Krystle
(Linda Evans
), Blake's former secretary and future wife, who is adjusting to life at the mansion despite chilly receptions from Fallon and the Carrington household staff. At the end of the three-hour premiere episode "Oil," Steven finally confronts his father, criticizing Blake's capitalistic
values and seemingly-amoral business practices. Blake explodes, revealing the secret of which Steven thought his father was unaware: Blake is disgusted by Steven's homosexuality
, and his refusal to "conform" sets father and son at odds for some time.
To Blake's chagrin, Steven goes to work for Walter Lankershim (Dale Robertson
), a small-time oilman and rival to Blake, and his new business partner Matthew Blaisdel (Bo Hopkins
), Steven's old friend and Blake's former employee, who had previously been involved with Krystle. Though Walter brings Steven to a brothel
in a fatherly attempt to resolve his sexual confusion, he and Matthew are unfazed by Steven's supposed preference for men, and Matthew even defends him against the homophobic
glares of other oil rig
workers. Steven finds a kindred spirit in Matthew's fragile wife Claudia
(Pamela Bellwood
), who is trying to put her life back together after a mental breakdown, and they secretly kiss in "The Chauffeur Tells a Secret." Steven is framed for an accident at Walter's oil rig and fired. He is offered his job back when his innocence is later proven, but declines; after beginning an affair with Claudia in "The Necklace," Steven decides to work for Blake at Denver-Carrington. Despite Fallon's machinations to keep him away, Steven's ex-lover Ted Dinard (Mark Withers) appears, hoping to reconcile. Steven spends the night with Ted, soon deciding he must break it off with both Ted and Claudia. As Steven and Ted are saying their final goodbyes in "The Separation," Blake enters to find them in a chaste embrace. Blake, whose discomfort with Steven's sexuality manifests itself in rage, angrily pushes the two men apart. Ted falls backward and hits his head; the injury proves fatal and Blake is arrested and charged with murder. Angry and upset, Steven testifies that Ted's death had been the result of malicious intent, which infuriates Blake and Fallon. A veiled surprise witness for the prosecution appears in the season finale "The Testimony," and Fallon gasps in recognition: "Oh my God, that's my mother!"
(Joan Collins
) testifies that ex-husband Blake has a violent temper, which proves damaging to his case. Blake is convicted for Ted's death but does not serve any jail time. Fallon is cold toward Alexis and Blake is openly hostile; at odds with his father, Steven is drawn to the long-absent mother he hardly remembers. He is seduced by the apparent devotion of Alexis, whom Blake had exiled from Denver and her children's lives after he had discovered her affair with another man. Steven soon gets a taste of his mother's poison in "Alexis' Secret": according to Alexis, Fallon is not Blake's daughter at all, and she later indicates that Fallon's father is in fact Blake's longtime friend and business rival, Cecil Colby (Lloyd Bochner
). The secret eating at him, a drunken Steven falls, hits his head and nearly drowns in the pool. Steven and Blake put aside their differences, and a convalescing Steven meets Krystle's visiting niece Sammy Jo
(Heather Locklear
) in "Reconciliation" (1981). When Alexis suggests that, as Blake's only heir, Steven should get married, he considers the idea and approaches Claudia about resuming their relationship. Steven and Sammy Jo begin dating, although he is unable at first to make love to her. Steven proposes to Claudia; still in love with Matthew, she declines, driving Steven back to Sammy Jo. They elope in the 1982 episode "Sammy Jo and Steven Marry." Blake and Alexis do not approve of the match; the marriage is short-lived, however, as Alexis pays Sammy Jo to leave Steven and Denver in "The Baby." Fallon is devastated at the revelation that Blake is not her father, but a blood test proves their biological connection in "The Gun" as Steven follows Sammy Jo to Hollywood
. On his way home to Denver in "The Shakedown," Steven meets an attractive male stranger who subsequently tries to blackmail him; Steven beats him up, and is arrested. In the April 28, 1982 episode "The Two Princes," Steven confronts the entire family, berating them for their intolerance and elitist values, and stating for all to hear that he is gay and unashamed. Vowing to live his own life on his own terms, he leaves the mansion.
With the series now lacking a Carrington, Alexis publicly confesses a dark secret from her and Blake's past in the 1982 third season opener "The Plea": their firstborn son, Adam
, had been kidnapped as a baby and had never been returned. A young lawyer named Michael Torrance (Gordon Thomson) soon comes to Denver, armed with items from Adam's baby carriage and claiming to be the missing Carrington heir. A silver rattle convinces Alexis, but Blake is suspicious and dismissive; by the time he begins to come around, the damage is done and Adam is subtly hostile. In the eighth episode of the season, "La Mirage," Fallon finally receives a letter from Steven, who is working on an oil rig in the Java Sea
. Jack Coleman debuts as Steven (his face unseen) in the December 1, 1982 episode "Acapulco" as the oil rig explodes. Blake and Alexis rush to Indonesia
to search for him, but Steven is presumed dead; Blake refuses to believe it. In "Samantha," Sammy Jo reappears with a baby, whom she claims is her son by Steven.
Announcing her desire to seek fame as a model in New York City
in the January 5, 1983 episode "Danny," Sammy Jo hopes that Blake and Krystle will take baby Danny off her hands. Meanwhile, Steven is alive in a Singapore
hospital, his face bandaged after extensive cosmetic surgery. Alexis wants custody of Danny herself but is soon distracted by greedy Adam's machinations. Several episodes later in "The Mirror," Steven's bandages are removed. He considers letting his family continue to believe that he is dead, but Steven's doctor contacts Blake. Blake recognizes his son despite the surgery, but Steven refuses to return to Denver. He reconsiders when Blake tells him about Danny. Steven makes an emotional return to the Carrington mansion in "Fathers and Sons," reuniting with his loved ones and meeting Adam and Danny for the first time. Alexis admits that she had paid Sammy Jo to leave Denver and suggests that Blake had bribed her to leave Danny behind; Steven visits Sammy Jo in New York in "The Downstairs Bride" but returns alone. Steven finds himself in the middle of his parents' fight over a potential merger of their companies initiated by a plotting Alexis. Blake is dismayed when Steven accepts a job offer from Alexis and makes known his plan to move out of the mansion with Danny. In the March 30, 1983 episode "The Dinner" Steven visits Claudia, who had returned to the sanitarium after another breakdown during his absence. Tensions between Blake and Steven escalate further thanks to Alexis, who manages to keep her Steven away from a dinner planned by Krystle to mend fences between father and son. In the third season finale "The Cabin," Blake learns that Steven is living with his attorney, Chris Deegan (Grant Goodeve
). Suspecting that the men are more than friends, Blake decides to sue Steven for custody of Danny.
Steven is concerned about Claudia's fragile emotional state when she starts receiving flowers (violets), gifts and phone calls from her missing (and presumed dead) husband, Matthew. In their investigation, Steven and Claudia travel to South America and visit the site where Matthew and Lindsay crashed. When Steven finds Dex Dexter
with violets at ColbyCo, he suspects that Dex is responsible. Eventually they learn that the calls and gifts were from Morgan Hess, a private investigator with ties to Alexis. However it is Sammy Jo who is paying Hess to harass the couple. She returns to Denver and announces that she will fight for custody of Danny.
Sammy Jo kidnaps Danny, and demands $30,000/month for his return. However Claudia convinces Adam to help get Danny back, and Sammy Jo returns to New York, defeated.
Meanwhile, Steven is distressed by his mother's arrest for the murder of Mark Jennings, Krystle's ex-husband. After an anonymous tip to the DA, Steven is called as a witness where he testifies that he saw his mother push Mark off her balcony. Alexis is furious and disowns Steven. Her lover, Dex, discovers that disgraced former Congressman Neal McVane, disguised as Alexis, is the real killer. After her acquittal, Steven and his mother reconcile and he returns to work at ColbyCo.
In episode 91, Steven and his family learn that Fallon has been killed in a plane crash with her lover, Peter DeVilibis. In episode 96, Steven learns that he has another sister, Amanda
, born after his parents divorced and raised by Alexis' cousin. Although Alexis denies it at first, eventually she admits that Amanda is Blake's daughter.
At work, Steven meets a gay co-worker named Luke Fuller. Although Luke is attracted to Steven, their relationship is platonic at first. Claudia, however, is troubled by the growing friendship between the two men, and eventually has an extramarital affair with Dean Caldwell. When Steven learns of the affair, he sleeps with Luke. In episode 105, "Triangles," Steven decides to end the affair and reconcile with Claudia. However, by episode 110 Steven tells Claudia that while he loves her, he also loves Luke. Claudia, prompted by Adam, flies to Mexico to divorce Steven in episode 112. Steven's affair with Luke strains his relationship with Blake, especially when Steven invites Luke to be his escort to Amanda's wedding to Prince Michael of Moldavia.
After Blake recovers he announces plans to put Steven on his board of directors. As part of his job, Steven must work with state senator Bart Fallmont. Adam, jealous of Steven's favor with Blake, attempts to discredit them both by leaking stories that they are having an affair. Steven is shocked to learn that Bart is a closeted gay man. Bart accuses Steven of betraying him for Blake, but Steven knows the true culprit is Adam. Meanwhile, Sammy Jo and Clay, Bart's brother, are engaged. In episode 146, Steven worries that Sammy Jo may fight for custody again.
and take the family hostage.
and is in a long-term relationship with Bart Fallmont. Steven and Blake finally reconcile when Blake formally accepts Steven and Bart's committed relationship.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
. Steven is noteworthy as one of the earliest gay main characters on American television. Despite identifying as homosexual, Steven has relationships with both women and men throughout the series.
The role was originated by Al Corley
Al Corley
Al Corley is an American actor, singer and producer. In the late 1970s, he worked as a doorman at Studio 54. He would later appear in a VH1 Behind the Music special on Studio 54 to recount his experiences....
in the show's first episode in 1981; Corley left at the end of the second season in 1982 after complaining about Steven's "ever-shifting sexual preferences" and wanting "to do other things." The character was recast in 1983 with Jack Coleman, the change in appearance attributed to plastic surgery after an oil rig explosion. Coleman remained on the show until 1988, but Corley returned to the role of Steven for the 1991 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Dynasty: The Reunion
Dynasty: The Reunion
Dynasty: The Reunion is a 1991 miniseries reuniting the characters from the American prime time television soap opera Dynasty, a series which aired on ABC from 1981 to 1989 and was the highest-rated U.S. series in 1985. The miniseries, like the series, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil...
when Coleman was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts.
Making television history
It is claimed that Steven was one of the first gay main characters to ever appear on a prime-time drama, and remains one of the most well-known. Suzanna Danuta Walters writes that because of the character, "in the annals of gay TV history, the '80s will be remembered as the Dynasty years." Initially the only son of series' patriarch Blake CarringtonBlake Carrington
Blake Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was portrayed by John Forsythe from the first episode of the series in 1981 until the finale in 1989. Forsythe returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion...
(John Forsythe
John Forsythe
John Forsythe was an American stage, television and film actor. Forsythe starred in three television series, spanning four decades and three genres: as single playboy father Bentley Gregg in the sitcom Bachelor Father ; as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the crime drama Charlie's...
), "handsome, blond hunk" Steven was a regular character featured in front-burner storylines for his entire run on the series. In contrast to his ruthless, warring parents and promiscuous sister, the character was poised as "the moral conscience of the family." Still, he was defined primarily by his sexuality, his struggle against it and the conflict it created within his family.
Potential and execution
Corley noted, "what attracted me was playing a gay character ... The only gay television character I knew about at the time was Billy CrystalBilly Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
's gay character Jodie Campbell on ABC's Soap
Soap (TV series)
Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
, which was a dark comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
." Dynasty co-creator Esther Shapiro noted in a 1981 Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine article that the character of Steven "was, is, and always will be gay," but explained that she initially intended for him to be confused about his sexuality for two seasons before ultimately becoming a "well-rounded gay character." With Dynasty becoming one of the 20 highest-rated American prime time series by the end of its second season and eventually rising to #1 in 1985, Steven "had great potential for breaking through the usual stereotypes" and his life "could have been explored in storylines in which [his] sexuality did not necessarily have to be problematized." However it has been noted that with "interference" from network Broadcast Standards and Practices
Standards & Practices
In the United States, Standards and Practices is the name traditionally given to the department at a television network which is responsible for the moral, ethical, and legal implications of the program that network airs...
and "pressure from the religious right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
", this potential was never fully realized. Walters writes that Steven—"stalwartly manly and deeply troubled by his homosexuality"—led viewers on a "Hollywood tour of homosexuality" over eight seasons, "from tortured closet case
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
, to 'cured' heterosexual husband, and finally to a vague approximation of gay and proud." She adds that the character's "persistent attempts to 'go straight' and the adamant avoidance of any gay milieu
Social environment
The social environment of an individual, also called social context or milieu, is the culture that s/he was educated or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom the person interacts....
or culture" paint Dynasty as "flawed and compromised," but acknowledges that the series remains a staple of gay iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
despite its primary gay character being "hardly a role model of self-acceptance and pride."
In a 2006 interview with TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, Coleman reaffirmed that having a gay main character on a prime time drama in the early 1980s "was quite daring at that time. I think the only other gay character in a series was Billy Crystal on Soap, and that was a comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
. But [Steven] was so timid by today's standards, especially looking at what's on cable, with The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
, Queer as Folk and shows like that. Dynasty now seems unbelievably quaint." Commenting on Steven's romantic relationship with Luke Fuller (played by Billy Campbell
Billy Campbell
William Oliver "Billy" Campbell is an American film and television actor. In television, he is best known for his roles as Rick Sammler on Once and Again, as Det. Joey Indelli on Crime Story, as Jordan Collier on The 4400, and as Dr. Jon Fielding on the Tales of the City Miniseries...
), Coleman noted, "It was very much The Donna Reed Show
The Donna Reed Show
The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the upper middle class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz appears as her pediatrician husband Alex, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children Mary and Jeff. The show originally aired on ABC at 10 pm from September...
in terms of four feet on the floor, nobody actually ever touching."
Legacy
It has also been suggested that the increased visibility of gay characters like Steven on network series in the late 1970s and 1980s (who owed their own existence to relaxing social restrictions and the 1969 Stonewall riotsStonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
) sparked a backlash from "fundamentalists who complained to advertisers," and by the spring of 1991 there were no gay characters in evidence at all. This ultimately paved the way for a reversal of the trend and Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
' watershed coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
in 1997, the subsequent "steady stream of ... well-developed, three-dimensional gay and lesbian characters" on television, and the relative "open door" of the 2000s. David Bitler of MTV
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
's LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
-targeted channel Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
said in 2005 that "today's youth generation is more accustomed to seeing gay characters on television, because gay visibility in pop culture has only increased exponentially during the last 10 to 15 years" with the depiction of gay and lesbian characters on shows such as Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
and Road Rules
Road Rules
Road Rules was an MTV reality show that debuted on July 19, 1995. The series, which was MTV's second reality show after The Real World followed six strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 after stripping them of their money and putting them on an RV traveling from location to location only guided...
becoming commonplace. Comparing Steven's 1981 confrontation with his father over his sexuality to the 2005 coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
of Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
teen Andrew Van de Kamp
Andrew Van De Kamp
Andrew Van de Kamp is a fictional character in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives played by Shawn Pyfrom, and is the son of Bree Van de Kamp and the late Rex Van de Kamp....
to his mother, Damon Romine of GLAAD noted in a 2005 PlanetOut.com article that though both Blake Carrington and Bree Van de Kamp
Bree Van De Kamp
Bree Van de Kamp is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. Actress Marcia Cross was nominated from 2005 to 2007 for a Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy...
encourage their sons to "change"—which is not possible—in 1981 this was presented as a "serious suggestion," whereas in 2005 the idea is "ridiculous." Romine added, "That's progress, even though we still have a long way to go." In the same article Jenny Stewart of PlanetOut.com posed the question of whether Steven Carrington "was a groundbreaking first who blazed a trail for the must-see gay TV of the new millennium or a last gasp of the traditional 'gayness as tragedy' storyline."
Season One
As Dynasty begins on January 12, 1981, CarringtonCarrington family
The Carringtons are the core family of the American prime time soap opera Dynasty, which aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989.-Meet the Carringtons:...
heir Steven (Al Corley
Al Corley
Al Corley is an American actor, singer and producer. In the late 1970s, he worked as a doorman at Studio 54. He would later appear in a VH1 Behind the Music special on Studio 54 to recount his experiences....
) returns to Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to attend the wedding of his father, powerful oil tycoon Blake Carrington
Blake Carrington
Blake Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was portrayed by John Forsythe from the first episode of the series in 1981 until the finale in 1989. Forsythe returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion...
(John Forsythe
John Forsythe
John Forsythe was an American stage, television and film actor. Forsythe starred in three television series, spanning four decades and three genres: as single playboy father Bentley Gregg in the sitcom Bachelor Father ; as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the crime drama Charlie's...
). Though the details are at first unclear, father and son are somewhat estranged, and their reunion is an awkward one. The Carrington family dynamic is soon established; thoughtful and sensitive Steven resists his father's pressure to step into his role as future leader of Blake's empire, while his spoiled sister Fallon
Fallon Carrington Colby
Fallon Carrington Colby is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty, and its spin-off The Colbys.The role was originated by Pamela Sue Martin in the show's first episode in 1981; Martin left in 1984. The role was recast with Emma Samms in 1985, and the character was spun off onto a...
(Pamela Sue Martin
Pamela Sue Martin
Pamela Sue Martin is an American actress best known for playing Nancy Drew on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries TV series and Fallon Carrington Colby on the ABC nighttime soap opera Dynasty.-Biography:...
), better suited to follow in Blake's footsteps, is underestimated by—and considered little more than a trophy to—father Blake. Steven is devoted to and loved by Fallon, who sees the differences between her brother and Blake but does not understand why they cannot be reconciled. Steven, knowing Fallon's devotion to Blake, is hesitant to open up to her. Steven befriends Krystle
Krystle Carrington
Krystle Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was originated by Linda Evans in the first episode of the series in 1981; she left early in the final season but returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion.-Characterization:The character of Krystle...
(Linda Evans
Linda Evans
Linda Evans is an American actress. She is known primarily for her roles on television, and rose to fame playing Audra Barkley in the 1960s Western TV series, The Big Valley...
), Blake's former secretary and future wife, who is adjusting to life at the mansion despite chilly receptions from Fallon and the Carrington household staff. At the end of the three-hour premiere episode "Oil," Steven finally confronts his father, criticizing Blake's capitalistic
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
values and seemingly-amoral business practices. Blake explodes, revealing the secret of which Steven thought his father was unaware: Blake is disgusted by Steven's homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, and his refusal to "conform" sets father and son at odds for some time.
To Blake's chagrin, Steven goes to work for Walter Lankershim (Dale Robertson
Dale Robertson
Dayle Lymoine "Dale" Robertson is an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the role of Jim Hardie in the TV series, Tales of Wells Fargo, and the owner of an incomplete railroad line in ABC's The Iron Horse, often appearing as the deceptively thoughtful but...
), a small-time oilman and rival to Blake, and his new business partner Matthew Blaisdel (Bo Hopkins
Bo Hopkins
Bo Hopkins is an American actor.-Career:Hopkins has appeared in more than one hundred film and television roles in a career of more than forty years, including The Bridge at Remagen, The Wild Bunch, The Getaway, American Graffiti, White Lightning, Radioland Murders, The Killer Elite, Midnight...
), Steven's old friend and Blake's former employee, who had previously been involved with Krystle. Though Walter brings Steven to a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in a fatherly attempt to resolve his sexual confusion, he and Matthew are unfazed by Steven's supposed preference for men, and Matthew even defends him against the homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
glares of other oil rig
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
workers. Steven finds a kindred spirit in Matthew's fragile wife Claudia
Claudia Blaisdel Carrington
Claudia Blaisdel Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The role was originated by Pamela Bellwood in the show's premiere episode "Oil" on January 12, 1981, and the character was written off after the October 20, 1982 third season episode "The Wedding." Claudia...
(Pamela Bellwood
Pamela Bellwood
Pamela Bellwood is an American actress most famous for her role as Claudia Blaisdel Carrington on the 1980s prime time soap opera, Dynasty....
), who is trying to put her life back together after a mental breakdown, and they secretly kiss in "The Chauffeur Tells a Secret." Steven is framed for an accident at Walter's oil rig and fired. He is offered his job back when his innocence is later proven, but declines; after beginning an affair with Claudia in "The Necklace," Steven decides to work for Blake at Denver-Carrington. Despite Fallon's machinations to keep him away, Steven's ex-lover Ted Dinard (Mark Withers) appears, hoping to reconcile. Steven spends the night with Ted, soon deciding he must break it off with both Ted and Claudia. As Steven and Ted are saying their final goodbyes in "The Separation," Blake enters to find them in a chaste embrace. Blake, whose discomfort with Steven's sexuality manifests itself in rage, angrily pushes the two men apart. Ted falls backward and hits his head; the injury proves fatal and Blake is arrested and charged with murder. Angry and upset, Steven testifies that Ted's death had been the result of malicious intent, which infuriates Blake and Fallon. A veiled surprise witness for the prosecution appears in the season finale "The Testimony," and Fallon gasps in recognition: "Oh my God, that's my mother!"
Season Two
In the second season premiere "Enter Alexis" (1981), the former Alexis CarringtonAlexis Colby
Alexis Colby is a fictional character and the primary antagonist on the American TV series Dynasty....
(Joan Collins
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
) testifies that ex-husband Blake has a violent temper, which proves damaging to his case. Blake is convicted for Ted's death but does not serve any jail time. Fallon is cold toward Alexis and Blake is openly hostile; at odds with his father, Steven is drawn to the long-absent mother he hardly remembers. He is seduced by the apparent devotion of Alexis, whom Blake had exiled from Denver and her children's lives after he had discovered her affair with another man. Steven soon gets a taste of his mother's poison in "Alexis' Secret": according to Alexis, Fallon is not Blake's daughter at all, and she later indicates that Fallon's father is in fact Blake's longtime friend and business rival, Cecil Colby (Lloyd Bochner
Lloyd Bochner
Lloyd Wolfe Bochner was a Canadian actor, usually playing the role of suave, rich leading men.- Career :...
). The secret eating at him, a drunken Steven falls, hits his head and nearly drowns in the pool. Steven and Blake put aside their differences, and a convalescing Steven meets Krystle's visiting niece Sammy Jo
Sammy Jo Carrington
Sammy Jo Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty...
(Heather Locklear
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sammy Jo Carrington on Dynasty, Officer Stacy Sheridan on T.J...
) in "Reconciliation" (1981). When Alexis suggests that, as Blake's only heir, Steven should get married, he considers the idea and approaches Claudia about resuming their relationship. Steven and Sammy Jo begin dating, although he is unable at first to make love to her. Steven proposes to Claudia; still in love with Matthew, she declines, driving Steven back to Sammy Jo. They elope in the 1982 episode "Sammy Jo and Steven Marry." Blake and Alexis do not approve of the match; the marriage is short-lived, however, as Alexis pays Sammy Jo to leave Steven and Denver in "The Baby." Fallon is devastated at the revelation that Blake is not her father, but a blood test proves their biological connection in "The Gun" as Steven follows Sammy Jo to Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. On his way home to Denver in "The Shakedown," Steven meets an attractive male stranger who subsequently tries to blackmail him; Steven beats him up, and is arrested. In the April 28, 1982 episode "The Two Princes," Steven confronts the entire family, berating them for their intolerance and elitist values, and stating for all to hear that he is gay and unashamed. Vowing to live his own life on his own terms, he leaves the mansion.
Season Three
With the series now lacking a Carrington, Alexis publicly confesses a dark secret from her and Blake's past in the 1982 third season opener "The Plea": their firstborn son, Adam
Adam Carrington
Adam Alexander Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The role was originated by Gordon Thomson in the first episode of the show's third season ; he played the character until the series finale in 1989...
, had been kidnapped as a baby and had never been returned. A young lawyer named Michael Torrance (Gordon Thomson) soon comes to Denver, armed with items from Adam's baby carriage and claiming to be the missing Carrington heir. A silver rattle convinces Alexis, but Blake is suspicious and dismissive; by the time he begins to come around, the damage is done and Adam is subtly hostile. In the eighth episode of the season, "La Mirage," Fallon finally receives a letter from Steven, who is working on an oil rig in the Java Sea
Java Sea
The Java Sea is a large shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. The Java Sea lies between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south; Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east...
. Jack Coleman debuts as Steven (his face unseen) in the December 1, 1982 episode "Acapulco" as the oil rig explodes. Blake and Alexis rush to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
to search for him, but Steven is presumed dead; Blake refuses to believe it. In "Samantha," Sammy Jo reappears with a baby, whom she claims is her son by Steven.
Announcing her desire to seek fame as a model in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the January 5, 1983 episode "Danny," Sammy Jo hopes that Blake and Krystle will take baby Danny off her hands. Meanwhile, Steven is alive in a Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
hospital, his face bandaged after extensive cosmetic surgery. Alexis wants custody of Danny herself but is soon distracted by greedy Adam's machinations. Several episodes later in "The Mirror," Steven's bandages are removed. He considers letting his family continue to believe that he is dead, but Steven's doctor contacts Blake. Blake recognizes his son despite the surgery, but Steven refuses to return to Denver. He reconsiders when Blake tells him about Danny. Steven makes an emotional return to the Carrington mansion in "Fathers and Sons," reuniting with his loved ones and meeting Adam and Danny for the first time. Alexis admits that she had paid Sammy Jo to leave Denver and suggests that Blake had bribed her to leave Danny behind; Steven visits Sammy Jo in New York in "The Downstairs Bride" but returns alone. Steven finds himself in the middle of his parents' fight over a potential merger of their companies initiated by a plotting Alexis. Blake is dismayed when Steven accepts a job offer from Alexis and makes known his plan to move out of the mansion with Danny. In the March 30, 1983 episode "The Dinner" Steven visits Claudia, who had returned to the sanitarium after another breakdown during his absence. Tensions between Blake and Steven escalate further thanks to Alexis, who manages to keep her Steven away from a dinner planned by Krystle to mend fences between father and son. In the third season finale "The Cabin," Blake learns that Steven is living with his attorney, Chris Deegan (Grant Goodeve
Grant Goodeve
Grant Goodeve is an American actor and television host. He is best known for playing the role of David, the oldest son, on Eight Is Enough, from 1977 to 1981. He sang the theme song for the show as well...
). Suspecting that the men are more than friends, Blake decides to sue Steven for custody of Danny.
Season Four
When Steven learns of his father's plans, he and Blake come to blows. Chris represents Steven at the custody trial. Blake argues that a homosexual cannot be a good parent, while Steven argues that Blake, as a convicted murderer, is worse. Alexis testifies that Blake paid off Sammy Jo to leave the baby in Denver; while Sammy Jo testifies that Steven is promiscuous. Claudia, who has recently been released from a sanitarium, tells Steven that she has a plan to win the custody trial. Steven and Claudia fly to Reno and are married. In episode 67, "Tender Commrades," they are awarded custody of Danny. In episode 72, Steven and Blake reconcile and by episode 74 Steven and Claudia have moved back into the mansion.Steven is concerned about Claudia's fragile emotional state when she starts receiving flowers (violets), gifts and phone calls from her missing (and presumed dead) husband, Matthew. In their investigation, Steven and Claudia travel to South America and visit the site where Matthew and Lindsay crashed. When Steven finds Dex Dexter
Dex Dexter
Dex Dexter is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The character was introduced as a love interest for Alexis Colby in episode 69. He will become her third husband, and arguably the second great love of her life, after Blake...
with violets at ColbyCo, he suspects that Dex is responsible. Eventually they learn that the calls and gifts were from Morgan Hess, a private investigator with ties to Alexis. However it is Sammy Jo who is paying Hess to harass the couple. She returns to Denver and announces that she will fight for custody of Danny.
Season Five
Meanwhile, Steven is distressed by his mother's arrest for the murder of Mark Jennings, Krystle's ex-husband. After an anonymous tip to the DA, Steven is called as a witness where he testifies that he saw his mother push Mark off her balcony. Alexis is furious and disowns Steven. Her lover, Dex, discovers that disgraced former Congressman Neal McVane, disguised as Alexis, is the real killer. After her acquittal, Steven and his mother reconcile and he returns to work at ColbyCo.
In episode 91, Steven and his family learn that Fallon has been killed in a plane crash with her lover, Peter DeVilibis. In episode 96, Steven learns that he has another sister, Amanda
Amanda Carrington
Amanda Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The role was originated by Catherine Oxenberg early in the fifth season . Oxenberg left the series after the 1985-1986 season. The role was immediately recast with Karen Cellini, though no explanation was given as to why...
, born after his parents divorced and raised by Alexis' cousin. Although Alexis denies it at first, eventually she admits that Amanda is Blake's daughter.
At work, Steven meets a gay co-worker named Luke Fuller. Although Luke is attracted to Steven, their relationship is platonic at first. Claudia, however, is troubled by the growing friendship between the two men, and eventually has an extramarital affair with Dean Caldwell. When Steven learns of the affair, he sleeps with Luke. In episode 105, "Triangles," Steven decides to end the affair and reconcile with Claudia. However, by episode 110 Steven tells Claudia that while he loves her, he also loves Luke. Claudia, prompted by Adam, flies to Mexico to divorce Steven in episode 112. Steven's affair with Luke strains his relationship with Blake, especially when Steven invites Luke to be his escort to Amanda's wedding to Prince Michael of Moldavia.
Season Six
Steven is heartbroken when Luke is killed in the terrorist attack at Amanda's wedding. After returning to Denver, he grows closer to Sammy Jo who has reconciled with Krystle. Steven is also needed to help Blake, who is having serious health problems. In episode 132, a frightened Sammy Jo confesses to Steven that she's been involved with a plot to kidnap Krystle and replace her with a look-alike. She has learned that her co-conspirators have been poisoning Blake. Steven saves his father from faux-Krystle while Sammy Jo frees Krystle from her captors.After Blake recovers he announces plans to put Steven on his board of directors. As part of his job, Steven must work with state senator Bart Fallmont. Adam, jealous of Steven's favor with Blake, attempts to discredit them both by leaking stories that they are having an affair. Steven is shocked to learn that Bart is a closeted gay man. Bart accuses Steven of betraying him for Blake, but Steven knows the true culprit is Adam. Meanwhile, Sammy Jo and Clay, Bart's brother, are engaged. In episode 146, Steven worries that Sammy Jo may fight for custody again.
Season Seven
In episode 155, Sammy Jo taunts Steven with threats of a custody battle. In episode 157, Steven is distressed to learn that Danny is demonstrating troubling behavior at school. Sammy Jo continues to threaten Steven, but by episode 163 her quickie marriage to Clay is in trouble and two episodes later it is annulled. Sammy Jo and Steven agree to put aside their differences for Danny's benefit, and in episode 166 agree to live together platonically in an attempt to give Danny a normal home life. In episode 171, however, they give into romantic feelings and make love. Steven, once again, is conflicted over his emotions and sexuality. In episode 172, a frustrated Steven goes recklessly horseback riding, and is injured when he is thrown from his horse. He decides to move out of Sammy Jo's ranch and leaves Danny with his mother. He announces that he will leave Denver after Adam's wedding. Unfortunately, a not-so-dead Matthew Blaisdel and his native South American henchmen crash the weddingWedding crashing
Wedding crashing is the act of coming to a wedding without an invitation.-In real life:Some of the most common reasons for crashing a wedding in real life are:...
and take the family hostage.
Season Eight
After several days in captivity, Steven manages to overpower Matthew and stabs him to death in the second episode of the season, "The Siege - Part 2." The incident leaves him emotionally scarred and he is encouraged to seek psychiatric help. Deciding to remain in Denver, he takes over Blake's football team; when Sammy Jo becomes romantically involved with quarterback Josh Harris, Steven is outraged. He orders a medical screening when Josh's playing becomes erratic, and Josh, a cocaine addict, quits the team. Josh proposes to Sammy Jo, and when she refuses he overdoses and dies. Blake, who has been impressed with Steven's handling of the football team, asks him to run Denver-Carrington while Blake campaigns for governor. Steven's management style causes great conflict between him, Adam, Fallon, and Dex; Steven also confronts Jeff, telling him to stay out of Sammy Jo's life. However, Steven bands together with his family when they learn that Alexis' new husband, Sean Rowan, is plotting to destroy the Carringtons. Struggling with the uncertainty in his life, Steven decides that he needs to leave Denver and regroup. In the March 30, 1988 season cliffhanger "Colorado Roulette," Steven pens a letter to Blake explaining his need for distance and leaves Denver. Adam subsequently burns the letter before Blake finds or reads it.The Reunion
By the time of the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion, Steven is an environmental lobbyist in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and is in a long-term relationship with Bart Fallmont. Steven and Blake finally reconcile when Blake formally accepts Steven and Bart's committed relationship.
See also
- Carrington family tree